Dark Enchantment by Kathy Morgan Read Free Book Online

know how the cops are. I could end up waiting here for hours.”
    Arianna detested the note of desperation in her voice. More, that she had been reduced to begging. But the fact remained that never in her life had she ever been so utterly exhausted, felt so unspeakably alone. “Or so hellishly cold,” she muttered under her breath, her teeth clacking like castanets, lips quivering with the violent shivers wracking her body.
    When she felt him dragging his arm out from beneath her icy fingertips, her heart dropped to her knees. Clearly, he was determined to leave her here.
    And she was just too damned tired and miserable to fight him on it anymore.
    Her head dropped in resignation. About to turn away, she felt a finger slip beneath her chattering chin. With the gentle pressure of his thumb, the Irishman tipped her face up and silently searched her eyes. His touch, coupled with that provocative gaze, sent rivers of warmth rippling through her frozen body.
    A sign you’re lapsing into the final stages of hypothermia , she told herself grimly.
    Now, what miracle of God triggered the man’s sudden change of heart would have been anybody’s guess. Maybe it was her violent shivering, or the utter hopelessness he had to have seen in her eyes. Whatever it was, Arianna knew she had won the battle of wills the moment his hand dropped into his lap. His head fell back defeatedly against the headrest.
    He turned to look at her. “Best mind who you raise that knee of yours against in future,” he threatened, with a menacing glare. “Now, go on, go on, get in.”
    Resurrected by the unexpected reprieve, Arianna bounded around the back of the SUV. Head dipping animatedly from side to side, she mimicked him under her breath. Still, she was careful to cut short the tirade before clambering into the passenger seat. She would bet a million bucks to a penny that he was just looking for an excuse to change his mind.
    She slammed the door shut. He held his hand out to her, palm up. The image of a young man on a moonlit beach, hand outstretched toward a castle window, morphed itself over his form. Then the impression faded away, leaving her dazed and staring.
    “Your keys,” he said.
    “Wh-what?”
    “To the boot.”
    Confused, she frowned. “Boot?”
    A controlled exhale of exasperation. “Is that not where you’ve stowed your bags?”
    Oh, yeah. The trunk. Arianna searched the floorboard for her purse. “Wait a minute. I left my purse on the front seat of the car. Keys in the ignition.”
    Another impatient sigh escaped his lips. Insufferable jerk! “Hey, don’t blame me for that. Not with you dragging me bodily out of the car. I wasn’t thinking…”
    Her words trailed off as he frowned a warning, and raised his index finger to tap a shushing motion against his lips.
    That was just so…so… Ohhh… Arianna gritted her teeth. “Evidently you are unable to admit when you are wrong—”
    Her protest slid to an unbelieving halt as he transferred the silencing finger from his lips to her own. Of all the unmitigated gall! Just that quick, she wanted to sink her teeth into the offending digit, but somehow managed to restrain herself. Just barely. Because, as wonderfully liberating as that would have been, it would have served only to get her liberated right back out into the icy rain.
    Instead, she huffed and turned to stare out her window. But could the disagreeable oaf just let it drop there? No, of course not. He had to heave yet another all-too-audible sigh of annoyance as he pushed his door open.
    That did it! “You know what? That’s it! You just sit right there. I may be stuck for a ride, but I’m not crippled. And I sure as heck don’t need a man to carry my bags.” As she was reaching for the door handle, a strong hand shackled her other wrist. “What?”
    With a surprised glance over her shoulder, she ran headfirst into a long, mesmerizing gaze. Her emotions spiked like an elevator gone madly out of control. Soaring